Critical Frameworks and Perspectives

Different critics and theorists approach art with different questions in mind. These critical frameworks are like lenses: each brings certain features of a work into focus while leaving others in the background. Knowing several frameworks lets you interpret a work from more than one angle and choose the approach best suited to your purpose. This lesson surveys the main lenses used in art analysis.

Formalism

Formalism concentrates on the visual form of a work — its composition, color, line, and structure — and treats these as the primary source of value and meaning. A formalist asks how the elements and principles are organized and how they produce their effect, largely setting aside subject matter and context. Formalism is excellent for close looking and for comparing how works are constru